tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35406795Sun, 01 Mar 2015 17:08:44 +0000Fatal EncryptionTaxed to Deathcheryl kaye tardifThe Opposite of Darkwhale songwritingauthorsSecond Wind Publishingbooksbook promotionwritersFatal Encryption Taxed to Deathbook marketingpublishingself-publishingbook reviewsamazonKindledivine interventioncontestsebookscanadian authorssuspenseeditingDaughter Am IPat Bertramguest bloggerromancefictionmarketingwriting adviceA Spark of Heavenly Fireauthor promotionpromotionthrillerMore Deaths Than Onebook publishersedmontonfantasymysterypublishersthe riverreviewse-booksnew releasestwitterRubicon RanchSmashwordsaspiring authorsbook contestsbook launchbookstorescharacterscheryl tardifchildren of the fogfacebookfree bookskunati bookslancelot's ladyparanormalremote controlshort storiestips for writersCanadacanadian writersfree ebooksjerry d. simmonsnovelettethe writing processDeadly Accusationsagentsauthor interviewscanadiancherish d'angelocontestromantic suspensesocial networkingsupernaturalthe writing lifeanthologyauthors' conferenceblog tourbook publishing statisticsbook signingsconferencesdesertebook giveawayinspirationalinterviewsjerry simmonskaren harringtonshort storytextnoveltraditional publishingvirtual book tourwriting processyoung adultChristmasDebra Purdy KongLight BringerThe Write Type - Multi-Author Musingshttp://writetype.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.com (Cheryl Tardif)Blogger1212125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35406795.post-8867095958470758062Sun, 01 Mar 2015 17:08:00 +00002015-03-01T10:08:44.601-07:00access copyrightcanadian authorsCanadian publishingPLR programpublishingpublishing tipsSix Things Canadian Authors Should Know About Publishing<div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Curtis Sittenfeld recently wrote a blog titled “<a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/curtissittenfeld/things-no-one-ever-tells-you-about-the-publishing-industry">24 Things No One Tells You About Publishing</a>”, which inspired author Scott Berkun to respond with “<a href="http://scottberkun.com/2015/28-better-things-about-publishing/">28 (Better) Things No One Tells You AboutPublishing</a>”. Both blogs are terrific, mixing humor with poignancy with business and philosophy. Many points I agreed with, a few made me pause to think, and one or two I disagreed with.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">The blogs made me realize that there are specific issues that Canadian authors need to consider. Given that a lot has been said in the other blogs, I’ve listed only six points.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">. Despite the comments of a few publishers, authors, and agents I’ve heard at conferences over the years, it’s okay to use Canadian scenes, characters, and references. Plenty of American readers are happy to read stories set in Canada. The challenge has been convincing publishers of this. Of course, not everyone will take to your setting, but to ignore the unique and gorgeous geography in our backyards to appease an American publisher is a missed opportunity. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">. If your published book is in certain Canadian libraries, you might be entitled to take part in the Public Lending Right (PLR) Program through the Canada Council for the Arts. There’s a list of rules for co-authors, illustrators, and so forth. If you qualify, you could receive a cheque every February based on random samples taken from larger libraries across the country. To learn more about how it works, go to <a href="http://www.plr-dpp.ca/">www.plr-dpp.ca</a><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">. You might also qualify for remuneration for published articles, short stories, books, etc. through the Access Copyright program. You can learn the details at <a href="http://www.accesscopyright.ca/">www.accesscopyright.ca</a><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">. Based on my self-publishing experiences, libraries in smaller cities and towns that aren’t part of a larger library system will buy your book directly. A professional query letter, flyer, and ordering information were all that I needed. Library wholesalers will also buy books from indie publishers, although expect them to ask for discounts.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">. Doing business with Amazon can be costly, particularly if you have a larger book. They ask for a 55% discount, and you pay the shipping costs, and it isn’t cheap. Don’t rely on Amazon.com for print sales. If you don’t have a U.S. post box, it’s a pain.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">. Finally, if you’re going to be a Canadian fiction author, you’d better have another income stream. It’s a fact of life for 99% of authors. But you already knew that, right?<o:p></o:p></span></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p><a href="http://www.debrapurdykong.com/">Debra</a></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p><br /></o:p></span></div>http://writetype.blogspot.com/2015/03/six-things-canadian-authors-should-know.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Debra Purdy Kong)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35406795.post-9023539723878017037Sun, 22 Feb 2015 17:01:00 +00002015-02-22T10:01:32.935-07:00Five Things Writers Should Shed<div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">This week I read a brilliant article in the <i><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michelle-combs/what-not-to-wear-after-ag_b_6656902.html?utm_content=buffer37f01&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_source=facebook.com&amp;utm_campaign=buffer">Huffington Post</a></i> by Michelle Combs, titled “What Not to Wear After Age 50: The Final Say”. The article basically dismissed all those idiots who think they have a right to tell us how to look and what to wear once we’ve reached that age. Combs’ response was to say that the only things we shouldn’t wear are shame and regret, rose-colored glasses, too many hats, etc. I loved the piece and recommend it to every woman!<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">As someone who’s been writing and publishing fiction for 35 years, I have my own take on what not to wear from a writer’s perspective. First, I totally agree with Combs when she says take off the rose-colored glasses. Holy cow, I can’t tell you how many writers I’ve come across who are deeply disappointed or downright angry that their books aren’t making any money. I’ve actually seen writers on Twitter literally beg readers to buy their book. Come on, people. Writing is not a get-rich-quick-scheme. The chances of making it big are remote at best, which brings me to my second point.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Combs’ statement about wearing too many hats also applies to writers. If you have a family, a day job, volunteer somewhere, and are working on six different writing projects, ask yourself if quality or quantity is better. Authors are placing so much pressure on themselves to publish frequently that quality is suffering. Step back and take stock.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Third, stop comparing yourself with others. Every writer’s journey is different. We bring our unique experience and perspective to the table, then use whatever time, energy, skill, talent, and tenacity we have. Keeping up with the Jones’s has always been a no-win situation.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Fourth, don’t be afraid to try something new. This doesn’t just mean writing in a new genre, but perhaps taking a course, attending a conference, joining a critique group, or simply taking good advice from a writer who’s been there. It doesn’t hurt writers to step out of their comfort zones now and then. The writing experience is deeply connected to personal growth.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Having said that, I want to say finally, don’t be afraid to make mistakes. You can gather all of the thoughtful, informative info in the world on marketing, publishing, and writing, and I’m betting that your efforts still won’t be perfect. Mistakes happen. Deal with it. Just to your best to avoid the ones you could have avoided with a little more research and effort.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">There are many more tips I’ve learned over the years, but these will get you started. And if you have any to share, please do so!<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><a href="http://www.debrapurdykong.com/">Debra</a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>http://writetype.blogspot.com/2015/02/five-things-writers-should-shed.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Debra Purdy Kong)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35406795.post-7509459229683648441Sat, 21 Feb 2015 10:00:00 +00002015-02-21T03:00:00.426-07:00flash fictionhow to write flash fictionwriting flash fiction5 Steps To Flash Fiction -- reblogged from http://marianallen.comEvery so often, I do a post on writing flash fiction. So here's one.<br /><ol><li>Get a core: a prompt, a character, a word, a thought, a genre.</li><li>Attach two characters to it.</li><li>Think of a conflict involving those characters and the core.</li><li>Choose a point of view.</li><li>Decide what happens after the conflict is resolved.</li></ol>Now, depending on how long you want your piece to be, you can write just the conflict, or you can include some background and include the resolution.<br /><br />Example:<br /><br />I'm watching a fire in the fireplace. So let's have my core be <i>fireplace</i>.<br /><br />Let's have two men in a cabin heated by wood. One of them is scared and one of them isn't. The conflict is one of them wants to stay in the cabin and one wants to leave. The scared one tells the story. One leaves and one doesn't.<br /><h2>Two versions of Flash Fiction</h2><blockquote><b>Warming His Bones</b><br /><br />I'm shivering.<br /><br />When I complained, Mike said, "Shut up and wrap one of those quilts around you."<br /><br />"They probly got bugs in them. We'll freeze here. We gotta light a fire or get out."<br /><br />"And the cops see smoke and then what? We're back in the can. Shut up or I'll give you somthin' to worry about."<br /><br />I knew he would, sooner or later, and that ain't no way to live. When he turned away, I gave him a poker upside the head, like I did my wife. Lit a fire, got warm, put his coat on over mine, and left before the cops could get there.<br /><br />It's snowing real hard.<br /><br />I'm shivering.</blockquote>If I wanted this to be micro flash fiction, like my monthly <a data-mce-href="http://www.marianallen.com/stories/hot-flashes/" href="http://www.marianallen.com/stories/hot-flashes/" target="_blank" title="Hot Flashes">Hot Flashes</a>, I would take the climax only and just add enough for context.<br /><blockquote><b>Warming His Bones</b><br /><br />I'm scared, but I'm scareder of Mike, and he says no fire.<br /><br />When he turns away, I give him a poker upside the head, like I did my wife. Light a fire, get warm, put his coat on over mine, and leave before the cops can follow the smoke.<br /><br />It's snowing real hard.<br /><br />I'm scared.</blockquote>If I wanted this to be 2000-word flash, I could put in all kinds of detail, background, atmosphere, foreshadowing, and characterization.<br /><br />You try!<br /><br />Marian Allen, Author Lady<br /><a href="http://marianallen.com/" target="_blank">Fantasies, mysteries, comedies, recipes </a>http://writetype.blogspot.com/2015/02/5-steps-to-flash-fiction-reblogged-from.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Marian Allen)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35406795.post-223795052753816310Sun, 15 Feb 2015 17:20:00 +00002015-02-15T10:20:02.140-07:00social media legacywillsHave You Thought About Your Social Media Legacy?<div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">My husband and I need to update our wills. The task is long overdue, but when it comes to this stuff, procrastination rules the day. I paid attention, though, when I came across a brief article about the importance of letting your family know what you want to do with your social media presence after you’re gone. Honestly, I’d never thought about this before, but I also realized that I needed to address this with my family. You see, I have many networking sites, and they only know about two of them, let alone the passwords for each. If I passed away tomorrow, where would they find my long list of passwords?<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">The other issue is what, if anything, do I want to leave behind on social networking? It didn’t take me long to decide that I want it all gone after I pass, but this won’t be true for everyone. Those who liberally share photos of growing family members might want to leave a legacy for future generations. Perhaps there are pieces of writing or blogs that they want others to enjoy. It’s a decision that each of us must make, but once you’ve made it, you’ve got to let someone you trust know about your wishes. Whether you leave something in your will with the location of your passwords, or do it another way, is up to you. This brings me to another recent article, I read in <i><a href="http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2476665,00.asp?mailingID=2055A0A0895D15B85831104F56864DA1?mailing_id=1167473">PC Magazine</a></i>.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">The article states that Facebook will now let you provide a “legacy contact”, which is a person who will post announcements and messages on your “memorialized” timeline. The legacy contact will not be able to log in as the deceased or access private messages. The article provides instructions about how you can add your legacy contact.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">I can see where this idea will appeal for some, but probably not for me. I do know that at least two of my 300+ FB friends passed away quite some time ago, yet their FB pages still remain up and dormant. It’s rather disconcerting. It also makes me wonder how many other people on FB are now deceased? Maybe some are still alive but for health or other reasons just don’t participate anymore and never intend to.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Personally, I prefer to tie up loose ends. If I disappear just because I’m bored and don’t want to do participate in blogging or social networking anymore, I’ll let you know.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><a href="http://www.debrapurdykong.com/">Debra</a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div>http://writetype.blogspot.com/2015/02/have-you-thought-about-your-social.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Debra Purdy Kong)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35406795.post-2797281507528712513Sun, 08 Feb 2015 17:00:00 +00002015-02-08T10:01:31.071-07:00contractsmovies from booksA Cautionary Tale About Movie Contracts<div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">When I was an unpublished writer, I went to a fair number of conferences, hoping for insights about how to find a publisher. To tell the truth, I was a little shocked by the number of writers bemoaning their contracts. At that time, I wanted to say, “But at least you have a contract. That’s something isn’t it?”. The other thing I never had the nerve to say was “But you read it, didn’t you? You knew what you were getting into.” How naïve I was.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Over the years, I’ve lost track of the number of times I’ve read blogs and articles about the lousy contracts writers find themselves tied to. These days, there are plenty of bloggers explaining why today’s contracts are terrible, and why you shouldn’t sign at all. I don’t agree with some of their assessments, but when established, well-known authors get tripped up, I take notice.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">This week I came across a blog by Tess Gerritsen, author of the terrific Rizzoli &amp; Isles thrillers. Did you know that she is also the author of <i>Gravity</i>, the movie starring Sandra Bullock?<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">When the Bloody Words Conference came to Victoria in June 2011, Ms. Gerritsen was one of the keynote speakers. She was very candid about her publishing experiences, and she is again, as she discusses why she’s suing Warner Bros. over <i>Gravity</i>. You can read the details in her <a href="http://www.tessgerritsen.com/gravity-lawsuit-affects-every-writer-sells-hollywood/">blog</a>, but here it is in a nutshell.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">In 1999, she told the film rights to <i>Gravity</i> to New Line Productions. The movie never got past the development stage, and New Line was later acquired by Warner Bros in 2008. After the movie was made, but Ms. Gerritsen wasn’t given credit as was stipulated in her contract. Ms. Gerritsen has since learned through round one in court that if the company you sign a contract with is sold to somebody else, along with the intellectual properties, then the new owner has no legal obligation to honour the contract either through acknowledgement or financial compensation of the author’s work. In fact, the new owner can exploit the script however they choose. As Ms. Gerritsen puts it, Hollywood contracts would very well be worthless.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">The judge in the round one of her court battle did open the door for Ms. Gerritsen to file an amended complaint which will further examine the relationship between New Line and Warner Bros. This is important because, based on what she says, a writer for Warner Bros. had come up with a nearly identical script which he claimed as his own. Ms. Gerritsen, though, has apparently uncovered a relationship between New Line and Warner Bros. that went back as far as 2000. Hmm.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">The bottom line is that contracts can be a slippery slope, folks, particularly if you’re dealing with the movie industry. Writers not only have to consider what is, but what might happen down the road. It’s always a good idea to have experienced lawyers or representatives from established writers’ organizations take a look at your contract before you sign.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><a href="http://www.debrapurdykong.com/">Debra</a>&nbsp;</span></div>http://writetype.blogspot.com/2015/02/when-i-was-unpublished-writer-i-went.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Debra Purdy Kong)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35406795.post-9013231459591570978Sun, 01 Feb 2015 18:10:00 +00002015-02-01T11:10:16.827-07:00Whose Data Do You Believe?<div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">You know I’m a big fan of statistics, right? I’m always intrigued when Author Earnings releases another data-filled report outlining their findings in book sales. If you follow Author Earnings, you’ll know that Hugh Howey and his team look mainly (but not always) at Amazon data which they analyze to help authors see what’s happening in the industry. Since Amazon has 67% of the U.S. ebook market, Howey makes it clear that the data doesn’t include all ebook sales everywhere. In this report, he also makes it clear that other data sources such as Bowker, Nielsen, AAP, and BISG have gotten their stats wrong, and here’s why.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">After analyzing 120,000 titles from Amazon’s bestseller’s list, Howey discover that 30% of the titles sold in the U.S. don’t have an ISBN number. This means that there’s a pretty large “shadow” industry that isn’t being monitored by ISBN-based sources such as Bowker and Nielsen. Wow! Who knew? Apparently, not many. Howey claims that the pundits who’ve been writing about the stagnating ebook market over recent weeks are using bad data from Nielsen or Bowker. Here’s a tiny bit of what Howey did find:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">As of mid-2014, indie authors took home 40% of the earnings while the combined efforts of the big five publishers slipped into second place at 35%. He also found that the lower ebook prices now offered by the big five publishers have had no impact on the number of sales of indie author titles. This is in direct contrast to what I’ve read elsewhere.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">After five Author Earnings reports over a twelve-month period, Howey has found a “continued progressive growth of indie market share at the expense of traditionally published ebooks.” Again, this conflicts with what others are saying.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">It’s important to note that Howey provides a readable explanation as to how he arrived at the conclusions he did (you’ll see the main points in the executive summary at the top of his report). He’s also quite clear in stating that, despite a full year of close analysis, the industry is still quite young and the long-term future is hard to predict.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">There’s plenty of interesting charts and graphs in the report. Most of all it makes me more wary about the sources used by other popular bloggers/writers. I’m not saying that Howey is perfect, but when he quotes numbers and percentages, he takes the time to say how and where they came from. I wish more people did this. There’s so many contradictions out there, that things must be increasingly confusing for new writers trying to choose the best option for their careers. To read the full report go to <a href="http://authorearnings.com/report/january-2015-author-earnings-report/">http://authorearnings.com/report/january-2015-author-earnings-report/</a><o:p></o:p></span></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p><br /></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p><a href="http://www.debrapurdykong.com/">Debra</a></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div>http://writetype.blogspot.com/2015/02/whose-data-do-you-believe.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Debra Purdy Kong)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35406795.post-1384487153944138473Sun, 25 Jan 2015 17:28:00 +00002015-01-25T10:28:08.267-07:00What is the Meaning of Book Devaluing Anyway?<div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">You savvy, well-informed folks are well aware of the ongoing chatter about whether the glut of free and low-cost books on the market is devaluing them. I’ve attended panel discussions on this topic where opinions varied widely. At that time (about four years ago) some panelists believed that setting the price of a new book at $.99 was devaluing the work by not paying the author what he or she deserved. The other side of the coin was, shouldn’t the reader decide what has value and what doesn’t? And that offering affordable books provides more choices and opportunities for new writers to find an audience? At the time, I came down on the side that low, or free book prices devalued the book, but not I’m not so sure anymore. Truthfully, the whole issue perplexes me.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">As you can well imagine, services like BookBub, which send offers of free and low-priced books to subscribers every day, certainly makes it possible to obtain an entire library filled with free and low-cost books, but does that devalue them, or the authors, or the market in general? As an article in <a href="http://bookriot.com/2015/01/24/dont-blame-readers-books-devalued/">Book Riot</a> states, is it truly the readers’ fault if they only choose to read free books? Think about it. Isn’t that what libraries have been doing for decades? Offering readers free books that the library paid for only once, and probably at a discount? Is this really a matter of devaluing the market, or is this a case of economics?<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">The Book Riot&nbsp;article correctly states that books are a buyer’s market folks. The author even cites Merriam-Webster.com’s definition of a buyer’s market…“a market in which goods are plentiful, buyers have a wide range of choices, and prices tend to be low.” </span>But is that devaluing anything? What does devaluing really mean anyway?<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Merriam-Webster’s definition is, “to cause (something or someone) to seem or to be less valuable or important.” So, when all these folks are talking about devaluing books, are they referring to the economic value or the artistic value? Or both? <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">I’ve watched Casablanca, The Maltese Falcon, To Kill a Mockingbird and other terrific movies on TV many times. In some cases, I’ve never paid a penny to go to the theatre or to buy the book. Does that devalue the script, the quality of the storytelling, of the movie itself? Not at all. Those movies have extremely high value for me. Sure, I hope the authors made a ton of money. I would love to make a ton of money, but readers, publishers and Amazon don’t owe me a living. If my ebooks, which currently sell at about $7.99, are dropped to $1.99 for a week-long sale, does that suddenly devalue the work economically or artistically? Not to me, it doesn’t.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">I suppose, at the end of the day, it comes down to how readers and authors define the value of a specific work. I’m going to stop pondering definitions and just strive to write better books.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.debrapurdykong.com/">Debra</a></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div>http://writetype.blogspot.com/2015/01/what-is-meaning-of-book-devaluing-anyway.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Debra Purdy Kong)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35406795.post-7792709071281734244Wed, 21 Jan 2015 10:30:00 +00002015-01-21T03:30:01.483-07:00the writing processSpinning A StorySomebody posts a call for submissions. <a data-mce-href="http://jahangiri.us/2013/short-story-contest/" href="http://jahangiri.us/2013/short-story-contest/" target="_blank" title="short story contest">Holly Jahangiri</a>, for example. Or <a data-mce-href="http://www.apex-magazine.com/submission-guidelines/" href="http://www.apex-magazine.com/submission-guidelines/" target="_blank" title="Apex">Apex magazine</a>. You want to submit, but you don't have an already-written story hanging around the office, eating its head off. You have to actually go to work and write something.<br />Go like this:<br /><ol><li>Something happens</li><li>Something else happens</li><li>Something else happens</li><li>Things look bad</li><li>The end</li></ol>So, following Holly's challenge, I went to my blog's spam folder and found this gem from – I am not making this up – free summer fun activities for kids:<br /><br />Logging onto the net and hiring one of these lovely ladies will surely make your marriage more adventurous and exciting. Exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays can increase the risk for skin cancer. Real estate agents and brokers can help you in this regard and allow you to buy the best property in Fort Myers. Plus, she generously provides free baby shower party games activities and baby shower party supplies. You may want to sort them out based on what you want for each page and categorize them.<br /><br />So let's take that apart and shuffle the bits around.<br /><ul><li>Real estate agents and brokers can help you in this regard and allow you to buy the best property in Fort Myers.</li><li>Exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays can increase the risk for skin cancer.</li><li>Logging onto the net and hiring one of these lovely ladies will surely make your marriage more adventurous and exciting.</li><li>You may want to sort them out based on what you want for each page and categorize them.</li><li>Plus, she generously provides free baby shower party games activities and baby shower party supplies.</li></ul>It practically writes itself, doesn't it?<br /><ol><li>Michael and Melisa Snead (names culled from various spammed comments) have lived in Ft. Myers, Florida, for most of their married life. Neither one would claim to be happy, exactly, but "miserable" is too strong a word for their marriage. Then Melisa comes home from the doctor with bad news: those freckles she's developed all over her face and arms aren't freckles; they're cancer.</li><li>At first, Michael and Melisa grow closer. Then, as she's more involved with her treatment and support group, and her freckles grow in spite of all treatment, Michael begins to look for distraction online.</li><li>One day, Michael is at work and Melisa's laptop is unavailable for some reason, and she uses his, finding his folders of women, which he has labeled as if they were women he was looking to hire to help Melisa out and sorting into tasks: Housekeeper, Companion, Cook. Melisa, worn out with Michael's procrastination, picks one and hires her.</li><li>The woman, Florene Bronson, shows up. Something about baby showers. Plug something into the earlier stuff to make baby showers necessary.</li><li>Wrap it up. The end.</li></ol>Yeah, okay, so that's started. Well begun is almost done, eh? Now I just have to decide if I want this story to be fantasy, science fiction, or horror. May need to write my way into it before I know. Or it may turn out to be a romance or so-called literary story, dammit. But that's how you pull a story out of <span data-mce-style="text-decoration: line-through;" style="text-decoration: line-through;">your</span> thin air.<br /><br /><br />MAhttp://writetype.blogspot.com/2015/01/spinning-story.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Marian Allen)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35406795.post-1822902457987305526Sun, 18 Jan 2015 17:26:00 +00002015-01-18T10:26:46.483-07:00Guess Who Prefers Reading Print Books?<div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Do you remember the glory days of 2009 and 2010, when surveys and blogs predicted that the e-book revolution would overtake print books in the not too distant future? I remember discussing stats that showed a 160% jump in the number of seniors who’d quickly adopted e-books because they were cheaper, took up less space, and print size was easily adjusted.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">In 2013, the stats started to change. The rise had become less dramatic and cautionary articles were appearing. One indicated that a third of those who tried an e-reader put them in a drawer and never went back. Meanwhile, e-book sales slowed a little more. Not that e-books weren’t gaining ground, just not at the anticipated rate.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">In 2014, I read articles and studies which revealed that readers didn’t retain as much from e-books as they did print, and that print books might have a useful purpose. In fact, some articles and blogs maintained that print could happily coexist with e-books.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">So, you might not be surprised by this recent article and interview in <a href="http://www.newrepublic.com/article/120765/naomi-barons-words-onscreen-fate-reading-digital-world">New Republic</a>, which states that a whopping 92% of university students preferred print books to e-books. And this is the younger generation, folks, the ones who grew up with iPads and mice in their little hands. So, what’s going on?<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Apparently, a survey of 300 university students in four different countries found an overwhelming preference for print books, especially when it came to reading and comprehending school-related material rather than a light novel. Students felt that they could understand the texts better if they were reading them in print. The reasons were varied. Some found themselves too distracted with electronic devices. Others didn’t like the fact that batteries died. There were also complaints of eyestrain and even more trivial complaints that the reader couldn’t remember the author’s name or how many pages were left in the book.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">You can read more in the article, but I’ve heard many of these complaints before. I’ve also come across conflicting findings about reading comprehension when it comes to e-books. That the study only surveyed 300 students doesn’t really tell me enough about serious preferences or trends, but it is interesting. The bottom line is print is here to stay, and as of January 2015, it still represents the majority of sales in North America. As for me, I love the fact that we have a choice.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.debrapurdykong.com/">Debra</a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div>http://writetype.blogspot.com/2015/01/guess-who-prefers-reading-print-books.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Debra Purdy Kong)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35406795.post-544322852238874368Sun, 11 Jan 2015 17:53:00 +00002015-01-11T10:53:57.255-07:00bloggerswritersFive Thought-Provoking Writers/Bloggers<div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Those of you who read my blogs have probably come to realize that I’m a bit of a blog junkie. I read over a dozen every week because I like to stay informed about writing, publishing, and bookselling issues, trends, successes, and failures. Change is so rapid these days and opinions so varied that keeping well informed is a challenge. Let’s face it, little about the book biz is black and white.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">As you probably realized from last week’s post, plenty of discussion is happening about the proverbial balloon bursting for indie writers, or is it? Hugh Howey doesn’t think so. In fact, in his latest post he writes that the glut of books on the market is good. Other writers would disagree with that while some still see opportunity in the glut.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Rather than elaborate on all those opinions, I’m going to give you the names of my five favorite writer/bloggers who constantly write, insightful, thought-provoking posts on this crazy business. I don’t agree with them all the time, but they always give me something to think about.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Aside from Hugh Howey, other favorites include two I mentioned last week: Russell Blake and Kristine Kathryn Rusch,. Another is Anne R. Allen, and last, but certainly not least, is Joe Konrath. Oddly, I haven’t noticed a new blog from Joe since Dec., but I bet something will be in the works soon.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">If you have blogs you regularly follow, let me know what they are, so I can add them to the list.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><a href="http://www.hughhowey.com/">http://www.hughhowey.com/</a><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><a href="http://russellblake.com/">http://russellblake.com/</a><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><a href="http://kriswrites.com/">http://kriswrites.com/</a><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><a href="http://annerallen.blogspot.ca/">http://annerallen.blogspot.ca/</a><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><a href="http://jakonrath.blogspot.ca/">http://jakonrath.blogspot.ca/</a><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p>&nbsp;<a href="http://www.debrapurdykong.com/">Debra</a></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p><br /></o:p></span></div>http://writetype.blogspot.com/2015/01/five-thought-provoking-writersbloggers.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Debra Purdy Kong)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35406795.post-29084627106887115Sun, 04 Jan 2015 19:32:00 +00002015-01-04T12:32:17.271-07:00indie authorspredictionsself-publishingA Tough Year Ahead?<div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">After last week’s review of 2014, I’ve been reading a number of predictions about this year, and let me tell you, it’s not a cheery picture.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">As <a href="http://www.idealog.com/blog/end-of-a-year-and-perhaps-the-end-of-a-stage-of-the-ebook-transition/">Mike Shatzkin</a> reports in his popular blog, he suspects that many (but not all) indie authors will continue to lose income possibly due to a serious supply and demand problem. In other words, readers have either loaded up their Kindles with far more than they could possibly read or they’ve joined Kindle Unlimited’s (KU) subscription service to borrow books. It appears that a growing number of indie authors are earning significantly less per book on borrows than they would have through sales. He makes a good point that readers who were willing to try a lower priced, indie book by an unknown author are the same readers who are opting for KU. Simply put, there too many books and not enough readers.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">These points are also referred to in a <a href="https://gigaom.com/2015/01/01/ebooks-in-2015-dull-new-world/">gigaom blog</a>, which says that KU is facing strong competition from Scribd and Oyster subscription services. These two offer a wider selection of books to borrow as they have agreements with a couple of big five publishers HarperCollins and Simon &amp; Schuster, which KU doesn’t have. As the blog notes, it will be interesting to see if these subscription services will also hurt traditional authors’ income. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">By the way, to get a look at the growing author discontent about Kindle Unlimited, read this blog from <a href="http://the-digital-reader.com/2014/12/01/author-discontent-grows-kindle-unlimited-enters-fifth-month/">The Digital Reader</a>. The blog states that authors not in the KU program have also noticed a drop in sales. In other words, it’s quite possible that subscribers are borrowing so many books that they’re not buying anything right now. Will this change? Is a drop in authors’ income fixable, or is the beginning of the end for authors, especially those who aren’t interested in writing better books, just more books? (See last week’s blog referring to the number of indie authors who have apparently quit publishing.)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Since we’re discussing the year ahead, take a look at Mark Coker’s <a href="http://blog.smashwords.com/2014/12/2015-book-publishing-industry.html?spref=fb">Smashwords blog</a>. He provides twelve predictions for 2015, although I don’t agree with all of them. For instance, he says that more authors will aspire to indie publishing. Well, maybe more authors will choose Smashwords, given the trouble KU has caused. But it won't change the fact that there are too many books for sale and not enough readers willing to buy them.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">As far as me, I’m mainly interesting in writing better books and short stories. The goal this year is to try a new genre and build a larger body of work. Honestly, I can’t wait to see what this year will bring.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.debrapurdykong.com/">Debra</a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div>http://writetype.blogspot.com/2015/01/a-tough-year-ahead.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Debra Purdy Kong)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35406795.post-403184844475551457Sun, 28 Dec 2014 18:24:00 +00002014-12-28T11:24:21.486-07:00amazon publishingindie publishingKindle UnlimitedpredictionsReviewing 2014<div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">At this time year, how can you not help but reflect on the past twelve months and ponder where you’d like to be twelve months from now? For me, the year was more challenging than most, but in a good way, one that I created. In 2014, I learned how to juggle a full-time day job with publisher deadlines, promotion, bookselling events, and more writing. It was quite a juggling act but I survived. By doing so, I answered a question I’d been asking myself for a long time. Did I have the energy, drive and management skills to incorporate a nine-to-five job with my writing life? The answer is yes, but not without obstacles, days of sheer exhaustion, and lowered productivity. This year, I’m aiming for a long-term, part-time job in what I hope will be a perfect balance.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">One of the things I kept up with in 2014 was to read my favorite blogs, one of which is <a href="http://kriswrites.com/2014/12/23/business-musings-things-indie-writers-learned-in-2014/#sthash.FLr8AzYH.DYOMFffA.dpbs">Kristine Kathryn Rusch’s</a> and the other is <a href="http://russellblake.com/">Russell Blake’s</a>. Rusch wrote a fascinating piece reviewing 2014. Blake’s lastest blog makes some interesting predictions for 2015, referring to events that occurred this year. Both of them agree that 2015 will be harder for writers to earn a living for numerous reasons. You can read their blogs to understand why but the two things that jumped out at me were the introduction of Amazon’s Kindle Unlimited program in the summer (which has ultimately slashed most writers’ incomes) and that traditional publishers are finally learning how to compete with indie publishers by lowering the price of ebooks.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Here’s the other thing: change is a constant in the publishing/bookselling industry. Authors have changed publishing strategies, booksellers like Amazon are changing selling strategies, and readers are changing book buying habits. The giveaways and $.99 price points that worked in 2011 and 2012 don’t work nearly as well for indie authors. As Blake points out, better author branding will be essential for authors to succeed. And as Rusch points out, writing, publishing, selling, and staying successful is so hard that she calls 2014 the year of the quitter. Rusch says that a growing number of writers are no longer in the biz for a variety of reasons which she lists in her blog. Although Blake also notes that 2015 will be harder than the previous year for many authors to earn a living, he still finds this an exciting time to be a writer. I couldn’t agree more.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Yes, more change is coming. I can feel it in the wind in my own writing/publishing/selling life. But does it frighten me? Hell, no. It’s absolutely invigorating!<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Until next year,<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">All the best,</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><a href="http://www.debrapurdykong.com/">Debra</a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div>http://writetype.blogspot.com/2014/12/reviewing-2014.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Debra Purdy Kong)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35406795.post-5587640338607966849Tue, 23 Dec 2014 23:25:00 +00002014-12-23T16:25:00.485-07:00alison brucebundlecatherine astolfocheryl kaye tardifchris reddingebookkat flanneryKindlemelodie campbellromanceromantic suspenseSWEET & SENSUAL Bundle is on sale for $0.99<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qeUo-uG2jQA/VJm7ezikQYI/AAAAAAAAETw/U5VyasI7ZUU/s1600/Sweet%2Band%2BSensual%2B3D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qeUo-uG2jQA/VJm7ezikQYI/AAAAAAAAETw/U5VyasI7ZUU/s1600/Sweet%2Band%2BSensual%2B3D.jpg" height="247" width="400" /></a></div><b>Need a little romance in your life?</b><br /><br />Check out this<b> $0.99 deal</b>:<br /><br /><b>SWEET &amp; SENSUAL, 6 complete romance novels</b> by Catherine Astolfo﻿, Alison Bruce﻿, Melodie Campbell, Author﻿, Kat Flannery, Author﻿, Chris Redding﻿ and Author Cheryl Kaye Tardif﻿...<br /><br /><b>US readers: </b>http://www.amazon.com/Sweet-Sensual-Romance-Bestselling-Authors-ebook/dp/B00OMUBR4W<br /><br /><b>UK readers: </b>http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sweet-Sensual-Romance-Bestselling-Authors-ebook/dp/B00OMUBR4W<br /><br /><b>With a list price total of nearly $24.00 US and over 340 reviews on Amazon.com, SWEET &amp; SENSUAL is a value-packed romance bundle</b> of complete novels that takes you from romantic suspense to historical romance to fantasy romance all set in captivating worlds that will leave you wanting more.http://writetype.blogspot.com/2014/12/sweet-sensual-bundle-is-on-sale-for-099.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Cheryl Tardif)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35406795.post-6151148680894762713Sun, 21 Dec 2014 17:09:00 +00002014-12-21T10:09:47.706-07:00law enforcement WritersWeeklypiracyDifferent Takes on the Book Piracy Issue<div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">From the start of the ebook revolution, piracy has been a thorny issue for authors. Some are outraged while others feel that it has increased their visibility and ultimately helped boost sales. I recently read an interesting piece in <a href="http://writersweekly.com/ask_the_expert/004716_05282008.html">WritersWeekly</a>, where site owner, Angela Hoy, answered a writer’s question about whether to worry if her book had been pirated.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Hoy maintains that there are far more honest book buyers than dishonest ones, and that people who choose the illegal route probably wouldn’t pay for a book anyway. Hoy also runs a publishing service and maintains that ebooks are still profitable for her business, despite piracy issues. In fact, she says she has little piracy problems as she doesn’t put any security on a book. After all, hackers have the capability to quickly break codes. Secondly, Hoy states that secure ebooks are not available to blind readers which is discriminatory and subjects her to lawsuits.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">In an <a href="http://writersweekly.com/the_latest_from_angelahoycom/008897_12032014.html">earlier article</a>, Hoy writes that many of those websites that list an author’s ebook for free are overseas operators who don’t actually have the book. They obtain the title, ISBN, price, etc. from other sources, then list it on their site to entice people there. When would-be customers try to download a copy of the book, they wind up with some sort of malware in their computers.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">While Hoy may not be overly worried about piracy, law enforcement agencies certainly are. Some of you probably heard that authorities recently shut down the huge, Stockholm-based site called Pirate Bay. The site has been on law enforcement’s radar for some time and has been in and out of court for nearly a decade to fight for the right to exist. However, authorities were finally able to shut them down through copyright infringement laws. As the Dec. 13<sup>th</sup> <a href="https://ca.news.yahoo.com/why-illegal-downloading-continue-without-100000394.html">Yahoo article </a>says, this success will not stop the piracy trade. Incidentally, one of Pirate Bay’s owners claims he doesn’t care that they shut it down, implying that he has other means of keeping himself busy. Hmm. If that was true, why did he battle so hard with the courts to keep the site going in the first place? Let’s be honest. The issue won’t likely go away, but at least we can decide how we’ll respond to it.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p><br /></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p><a href="http://www.debrapurdykong.com/">Debra</a></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div>http://writetype.blogspot.com/2014/12/different-takes-on-book-piracy-issue.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Debra Purdy Kong)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35406795.post-4617055155973453267Sun, 21 Dec 2014 11:00:00 +00002014-12-21T04:00:00.544-07:00writing adviceWhy I Stop Reading -- reblogged from MarianAllen.comAs a writer, I'm interested in why readers stop reading. Since I'm an avid reader, I decided to ask myself. Here's what I answered:<br /><br />There are many reasons why I stop reading, and they sort of have a pecking order.<br /><h2>Why I stop reading on the first page:</h2><ol><li>If the grammar, punctuation, and spelling are poor (unless they're obviously supposed to be), I stop reading.</li><li>If the style is stiff, clunky, cutesy-poo or lackluster, I stop reading.</li><li>If the narrative is full of cliches (the character can load 'em on, if that's the way the character talks), I stop reading.</li></ol><h2>Why I stop reading later:</h2><ol><li>If the characters explain too much, especially the same thing multiple times, I stop reading.</li><li>If the author shows something happening and tells me, in the narrative, that that thing happened, I'll let it slide twice but, if it happens three times, I stop reading.</li><li>If the dialog is stiff, clunky, cutesy-poo or lackluster, I stop reading.</li><li><div data-mce-style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">If the story just goes on and on and on and none of the activity seems to matter, I stop reading.</div></li><li>If I don't care about the characters, I stop reading.</li></ol><h2>Why I stop reading at any point:</h2><ol><li>If there is gratuitous sex or violence, I stop reading. If the book is otherwise good, I skip that bit.</li><li>If there is explicit sex or violence, I stop reading. If the book is otherwise good, I skip that bit.</li><li>If there is sex or violence of any kind against children or animals, I stop reading. Period.</li><li>If there is prejudice/bigotry on the part of the author (a character can be an asshat, if necessary), I stop reading.</li><li>If the characters or action are creepin' me out, I stop reading.</li></ol><h2>Why I <em>want</em> to stop reading, but don't <i>if none of my other buttons have been pushed</i>:</h2><ol><li>If the viewpoint character is described by looking in a mirror or other reflective surface, I want to stop reading, but don't.</li><li>If any character rolls their eyes, I want to stop reading, but don't. If more than one character does it, I <i>really</i> want to stop reading.</li><li>If the story goes a way I don't want it to (I can't help it; it's the writer in me), I want to stop reading, but don't.</li><li>If the characters speak without using contractions (unless there's a good reason), I want to stop reading, but don't.</li></ol>That's all I can think of right now. It's surprising how many books I <i>don't</i> stop reading, actually. But life is too short to read irritating books. Unless there's something really, really good about them.<br /><h2>What can redeem a book I want to stop reading?</h2><ol><li>Great characters.</li><li>Great dialog.</li><li>Great style.</li><li>Meaningful theme.</li><li>Colorful language.</li><li>Unique premise/storyline.</li><li>Information (I love Moby Dick – I've read it twice – all the bits).</li></ol>I was recently asked to name three of my favorite books. They were:<br /><ol><li><a data-mce-href="http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/308" href="http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/308" target="_blank" title="J!">Three Men In A Boat, To Say Nothing Of The Dog</a>, by Jerome K. Jerome</li><li><a data-mce-href="http://www.mervynpeake.org/gormenghast/index.html" href="http://www.mervynpeake.org/gormenghast/index.html" target="_blank" title="IT COUNTS AS ONE!">Books 1 and 2 of the Gormenghast trilogy</a>, by Mervyn Peake</li><li><a data-mce-href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/1940938295" href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/1940938295" target="_blank" title="I love the dead">The Life And Death (but mostly the death) Of Erica Flynn</a>, by Sara Marian</li></ol>So now you know.<br /><br />Marian Allen, Author Lady<br /><a href="http://marianallen.com/" target="_blank">Fantasies, mysteries, comedies, recipes </a>http://writetype.blogspot.com/2014/12/why-i-stop-reading-reblogged-from.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Marian Allen)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35406795.post-3451589725338704250Sun, 14 Dec 2014 17:09:00 +00002014-12-14T10:09:23.067-07:00Pondering Amazon's Bestsellers Lists<div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">This week, Amazon released the year’s <a href="http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=176060&amp;p=irol-newsArticle&amp;ID=1999088">bestselling titles</a> in a couple of different categories. With the rise of the indie author and the growing number who are make a living from their work, I thought I’d see more of these authors make Amazon’s top twenty, overall bestsellers list. Instead, I found a significant percentage of traditionally published names who were top selling authors before the indie revolution. Names like John Grisham, David Baldacci, Diana Gabaldon, Lee Child, James Patterson, Ken Follett, Stephen King, and Rick Riordan, for example.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">I took a look at the top twenty list in Kindle sales and found some of the same names plus Janet Evanovich, Michael Connelly, and Nora Roberts. As Amazon notes in its media release, some of these names made the 2013 list and Grisham is on the list for the fourth year in a row. A quick look at the prices revealed that most of the titles were between $6.99 and $9.99. Very few were in the $3.99 price range.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">So, what does this mean? I guess it depends on how you look at these things, but it does seem clear that fans of these writers are sticking with them. Despite the growing prestige and sales of indie writers, they aren’t yet reaching the top rung of the ladder. I suspect that some are undoubtedly close, and it’s highly possible that E.L. James, author of <i>Fifty Shades of Grey</i>, made that list last year. I haven’t checked. I’m wondering if, in a few short years from now, indie authors will dominate Amazon’s bestseller’s list. Now that would be quite a feat.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><a href="http://www.debrapurdykong.com/">Debra</a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div>http://writetype.blogspot.com/2014/12/pondering-amazons-bestsellers-lists.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Debra Purdy Kong)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35406795.post-5542958594838298731Sun, 07 Dec 2014 17:36:00 +00002014-12-07T10:36:47.068-07:00gender inequalityreviewersThe Ongoing Gender Imbalance Debate<div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">About a decade ago, I was a member of Sisters in Crime (SinC) a U.S. based organization that welcomed both men and women writers, and supported chapters in different cities as well as a few countries. Their mission, as I recall, was to support and raise the profile of female crime writers. You see, surveys showed that the ratio of men and women crime writers was about equal, however, SinC’s monitoring of newspapers all over the U.S. revealed that far more men than women were being reviewed. Part of the issue was that some newspapers had more male reviewers on staff. The other issue was that more men wrote thrillers, and gritty, noir crime than cozies, and cozies did not interest male reviewers. SinC took this matter so seriously that they wrote to some of the papers pointing out the discrepancy. A few of the papers attempted to rectify the situation.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">I let my membership with SinC lapse and didn’t give the issue much more thought until an article this week in <i><a href="http://time.com/3611738/goodreads-survey-author-gender-reader-preference/">Time</a></i> stated that reading<i> </i>habits appeared to be gender specific. Men preferred to read work by male authors while women preferred to read female authors. The data was based on a poll taken from 40,000 readers from the large Goodreads.com site.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">The article also noted that a yearly analysis conducted by Vida: Women in Literary Arts, showed that the reviewers in the top publications were predominantly male. It seems that nothing has changed over the last decade, despite the efforts of SinC and others.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Quotes from female authors in the article noted that publishers tend to package women’s work in a more feminine style instead of giving their books a gender neutral appearance. In earlier decades, women writers didn’t use their own names for fear that they wouldn’t find a publisher. Even in the latter part of the twentieth century, I recall reading articles suggesting that female science fiction writers use their initials or a pen name. Have things changed? A little, but not nearly enough for some women writers.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Although more women are writing thrillers and noir fiction, the majority still appear to be writing fun, light cozies. Let’s be real here, men shouldn’t be forced to read what they don’t want to any more than women should be. For that reason alone, I don’t think the deeply entrenched gender preferences will ever change. As a woman writer, if I want more recognition, I’ll join the ranks of gritty, thriller writers, use a pseudonym and launch another series. But I’m not going to waste time complaining about gender inequality. I’m far too busy writing stories for anyone who wants to read them.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.debrapurdykong.com/">Debra</a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div>http://writetype.blogspot.com/2014/12/the-ongoing-gender-imbalance-debate.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Debra Purdy Kong)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35406795.post-4320410865749909589Sun, 30 Nov 2014 18:24:00 +00002014-11-30T11:24:39.441-07:00Three Steps to a Disciplined Writing Life<div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Although I’m not the most prolific writer in the world—far from it—colleagues often think of me as a disciplined writer. It’s probably because my publisher has released a book a year for the last four years and, until recently, I was posting two blogs a week and four book reviews a month. But, as you can imagine, output changes along with lifestyle.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">For a dozen years now, I’ve alternated day jobs with full-time writing. I haven’t worked at the same job for more than five years, and I’ve tried different types of employment beyond clerical work. I’ve learned that how much time I have to write isn’t nearly as important as how efficiently I use whatever time I do have. Honestly, while writing full-time I was at the computer only three to four hours a day, with many breaks in between. Another hour was spent networking. A full-time day job this past year forced me to cut much of the networking, but I was still completing the blogs, reviews, and slowly editing chapters. I’m not one of those people who can tell you how to write a novel in two weeks, but I do finish projects. Here’s how:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoListParagraph" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">1)<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">Have a plan. At the end of each day, I think about what I want to work on the next day and during that week. I always have more than one project on the go, so setting priorities is essential. A book review is often my warmup. If it’s a weekend, heavy editing will come next, then lighter editing in the evening and afternoon. First drafts, where creativity hits its stride, occur better in the evening. By the way, an interesting article on why sleep deprivation helps creativity can be found at <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/article/20141120184251-283620963-want-to-be-more-creative-don-t-sleep">https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/article/20141120184251-283620963-want-to-be-more-creative-don-t-sleep</a><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">2)<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">Set aside time for writing every day. On weekdays, it was a half hour before work and another half hour during lunch breaks. By Friday, I had five hours of uninterrupted writing or editing completed, plus whatever I could accomplish in the evening after a shift. Evenings were used to type up the penciled edits and rejig things. Whether you have thirty minutes or two hours, stick to your schedule. This means, no answering phones or becoming distracted by something good on TV.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">3)<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">Keep it in perspective. There will be obstacles, sick days, emergencies, and a host of unexpected events to swallow up your allotted time and damage a positive outlook. It’s not the end of the world. Real life…the aggravating, fearful, shocking, heart-wrenching aspects of it, will happen. There will be setbacks. There will be bad reviews and unsupportive family members, colleagues, and acquaintances. It doesn’t matter. If writing matters to you, you’ll keep going and learn and improve. There are no short cuts. There’s just life and the many creative ways we share our experiences <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Good luck!<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><a href="http://www.debrapurdykong.com/">Debra</a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div>http://writetype.blogspot.com/2014/11/three-steps-to-disciplined-writing-life.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Debra Purdy Kong)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35406795.post-5620215474677081392Wed, 26 Nov 2014 01:50:00 +00002014-11-25T18:50:39.385-07:00Rubicon RanchRubicon Ranch NecropiecesRubicon Ranch serialRubicon Ranch: Riley's StoryWinter Heat Blog HopWinter Heat Blog HopI was invited to participate in the Winter Heat Blog Hop. A blog hop is a way of getting to view new blogs that are offering giveaways and opportunities to win prizes. <a href="http://www.linkytools.com/wordpress_list.aspx?id=243278&amp;type=basic">Click here on this blue link to view the entire Winter Heat Blog Hop list!</a><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.linkytools.com/wordpress_list.aspx?id=243278&amp;type=basic" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="blog hopb" class="aligncenter wp-image-10616 size-full" src="https://ptbertram.files.wordpress.com/2014/11/blog-hopb.jpg?w=780" /></a></div><br />As for my giveaway:<br /><br />From now until December 5, you can download the first two books in the Rubicon Ranch trilogy for free. In case you’re not familiar with Rubicon Ranch, it was a collaborative and innovative crime series set in the desert community of Rubicon Ranch and was written online by the authors of Second Wind Publishing. No one knew the outcome of the novels before they were written — we just wrote our characters’ stories trying to prove simultaneously that they were the killer and that they were innocent. A real challenge, but according to <a href="http://sheiladeethhome.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Sheila Deeth</a>, writer and reviewer extraordinaire, we succeeded.<br /><br />Sheila wrote: <em>I thoroughly enjoyed it. Different authors pen chapters from the points of view of different characters. But the end of each tale meshes perfectly with the next, and the story progresses, through twists and turns (and death), to its mysterious, perfectly logical conclusion, while the reader is left to guess, imagine, wonder, and reflect.</em><br /><em><br /></em><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/168165" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="Rubicon Ranch" class="aligncenter wp-image-4245" height="361" src="https://ptbertram.files.wordpress.com/2012/02/newrrcover3sm-copy.jpg?w=237&amp;h=361" width="237" /></a></div><br />In the first book, <em>Rubicon Ranch: Riley’s Story</em>, a little girl’s body was found in the wilderness near the desert community of Rubicon Ranch. Was it an accident? Or . . . murder! But who would want to kill a child?<br /><br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/168165" target="_blank">Click here to download a free ecopy of Rubicon Ranch Book One: Riley’s Story (no code necessary) in the ebook format of your choice from Smashwords</a>.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/319710" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="" class="aligncenter" height="387" src="http://secondwindpub.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/rrbooktwosmall.jpg?w=253&amp;h=387" width="253" /></a></div><br /><br />In the second book, <em>Rubicon Ranch: Necropieces</em>, residents of Rubicon Ranch are finding body parts scattered all over the desert. Who was the victim and why did someone want him so very dead? Everyone in this upscale housing development is hiding something. Everyone has an agenda. Everyone’s life will be different after they have encountered the Rubicon. Rubicon Ranch, that is.<br /><br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/319710" target="_blank">Click here to download Rubicon Ranch Book Two: Necropieces in the ebook format of your choice from Smashwords. Be sure to use Code LT25A when ordering to get your free download.</a> Offer expires December 5, 2014<br /><br />These ebooks will make a great stocking stuffer. Just click on “Give as a gift” on the Smashwords page before proceeding to check out.<br /><strong><br /></strong><strong>***</strong><br /><a href="http://patbertram.com/"><span style="color: #0062a0;">Pat Bertram</span></a> is the author of the suspense novels <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Light-Bringer-Pat-Bertram/dp/1935171410/ref=la_B002BLUHUY_1_5?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1405998870&amp;sr=1-5"><em><span style="color: #0062a0;">Light Bringer</span></em></a>, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/More-Deaths-Than-One-Bertram/dp/1935171259/ref=la_B002BLUHUY_1_3?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1405998804&amp;sr=1-3"><em><span style="color: #0062a0;">More Deaths Than One</span></em></a><em>, </em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Spark-Heavenly-Fire-Pat-Bertram/dp/1935171232/ref=la_B002BLUHUY_1_2?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1405998726&amp;sr=1-2"><em><span style="color: #0062a0;">A Spark of Heavenly Fire</span></em></a><em>, </em>and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Daughter-Am-I-Pat-Bertram/dp/1935171194/ref=la_B002BLUHUY_1_4?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1405998837&amp;sr=1-4"><em><span style="color: #0062a0;">Daughter Am I</span></em></a><em>. </em>Bertram is also the author of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Grief-Great-Yearning-Pat-Bertram/dp/1935171593/ref=la_B002BLUHUY_1_1/178-9873304-0793850?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1405998273&amp;sr=1-1"><em><span style="color: #0062a0;">Grief: The Great Yearning</span></em></a>, “an exquisite book, wrenching to read, and at the same time full of profound truths.” Connect with <a href="https://plus.google.com/117707913422514281227/about"><span style="color: #0062a0;">Pat on Google+</span></a>. Like Pat on <a href="http://facebook.com/PatBertramAuthor"><span style="color: #0062a0;">Facebook</span></a>.http://writetype.blogspot.com/2014/11/winter-heat-blog-hop.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Pat Bertram)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35406795.post-6868140880049671410Mon, 24 Nov 2014 18:47:00 +00002014-11-24T11:51:49.244-07:00mark cokermarketpromotionself-publishingSmashwordsSurviving a Bloated Market<div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Authors know that the market is saturated with books more than ever. This is great news for us readers, but I’m also a writer. Lately, it feels like the climb toward financial success is a little steeper every year. For many of us, the quest to become even noticed is daunting. Over recent months, indie authors are joining the lament of traditionally published authors in the slowing of sales and diminishing income. <a href="http://blog.smashwords.com/2014/11/ebook-publishing-gets-more-difficult.html">Mark Coker</a> of Smashwords tells us why this is happening and how to succeed in the future.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Coker states that there is a glut of low-priced, high-quality ebooks on the market. He specifically uses the word <i>quality</i>, making it clear that there’s an even larger tsunami of drek out there. His point is that a growing number of good writers have turned their backs on contract offers to self-publish. He could be right in stating that the supply of ebooks is outstripping the demand. Sure, Kindles and other devices can load thousands of books for a lifetime of happy reading, but there are hundreds of thousands of new books being published every year!<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">After explaining other factors in the ebook slowdown, Coker lists twenty points for succeeding in today’s market. Really, none of his points are new to building a successful career. They are simply reminders of the importance of thinking long-term, writing better books, diversifying, having a plan, networking, and treating publishing like a business. But will many writers follow his advice? <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Let’s face it life has never been profitable for most authors. These times merely represent another version of what writers from previous decades struggled with all their lives. Sure, you can now publish a book without ever physically touching it, and have access to promoting strategies that weren’t available twenty years ago. But it’s still an uphill battle. I suspect it always will be. There is no magic bullet to financial success for writers, but I do recommend that you read his blog. Reminders are important too.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><a href="http://www.debrapurdykong.com/">Debra</a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div>http://writetype.blogspot.com/2014/11/surviving-bloated-market.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Debra Purdy Kong)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35406795.post-2767815169962073513Fri, 21 Nov 2014 10:30:00 +00002014-11-21T03:30:03.707-07:00book reviewshow to write a book reviewhow-tokindnessHow To Write A Book Review -- reblogged<a href="http://www.marianallen.com/2014/11/write-book-review-amreading/" target="_blank">Reposted from Marian Allen, Author Lady</a>.<br /><br />Imma tell you how to write a book review on Amazon or Goodreads -- one that will be helpful to the writer and to fellow readers.<br /><br />It isn't hard, and it could just be one line, although longer and more comprehensive is better.<br />The main purpose of a book review is to help other people to know whether or not they'll like the book. Just stating your opinion won't do that. "This book sucked" is not helpful. Neither is "A great read!" or "Meh".<br /><br />The most helpful book review begins with a sentence -- <i>very</i> most helpful is 120 characters or fewer so it can be tweeted and retweeted on Twitter -- using the title and author's name and a reason. This works whether you like the book or not.<br /><blockquote>Love zombies? FAKE BOOK by Imaginary Author is for you.</blockquote>You can then follow with more details.<br /><blockquote>Personally, I hate books about zombies. I only downloaded this book because it was free and I liked the picture on the cover. As promised, it features the kind of zombie that shuffles around and drops bits off itself while it moans about eating people's brains. Fair enough, the cover and book description told me to expect that, so I can't claim to have been unpleasantly surprised. </blockquote><blockquote>So why did I give the book more than one star, when I didn't like it? Because it isn't the author's fault I don't like this kind of book, and because it's well-written. The plotting is tight and, given the premise of a zombiepocalypse, believable. The characters, even the dead ones, are well-drawn and individual, and the dialog is snappy.</blockquote><blockquote>Too bad it's about zombies. </blockquote><blockquote><div data-mce-style="text-align: center;" style="text-align: center;"><b>OR</b></div></blockquote><blockquote>So I only gave it one star, partly because: zombies, but mostly because the plot meandered all over the place and had loose ends that were never tied up. All the characters, dead and alive, sounded and acted alike. The dialog was unnatural, and not in a good way. </blockquote><blockquote>Not everybody has it in them to even begin to write a book, let alone finish and publish one, so I hate to sound harsh, but FAKE BOOK really needed a good developmental editor or critique group to help shape and polish it. I wish Imaginary Author well on future projects. Even if they have zombies in them.</blockquote>[note: This is not a real book review. No actual authors were harmed in the writing of this example.]<br /><br />That tells prospective readers some things about the book, so they can make their own decisions based on specifics: zombies, writing, plotting, characters, dialog, zombies. It gives the writer a reason to tweet your review, even a bad review, which is good for your review cred.<br /><br />"But it says nice things about a book I don't like." What are you, the book sheriff? Is it a crime for somebody to write a book you don't like? It costs nothing to be kind. "So shines a good dead in a naughty world," as dear Mr. Shakespeare said.<br /><br />Marian Allen, Author Lady<br /><a href="http://marianallen.com/" target="_blank">Fantasies, mysteries, comedies, recipes </a>http://writetype.blogspot.com/2014/11/how-to-write-book-review-reblogged.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Marian Allen)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35406795.post-3420700883656771011Sun, 16 Nov 2014 17:11:00 +00002014-11-16T10:11:05.176-07:00Encouraging the Next Generation of Writers<div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">While participating in workshops, panel discussions, book signings and Christmas craft fairs this year, I’ve noticed something really quite wonderful. Teenagers and young adults are writing! In August, I was selling my books at a farmer’s market that was celebrating literacy that day. Across from my table, a nineteen-year-old woman had written and beautifully illustrated two fantasy novels for teens. She loved writing and hoped to continue to do so for some time to come. She was working over the summer to pay for university which she would start in the fall.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">This month, I signed a book for a customer whose teenaged daughter loved reading and writing. A recent social event, I met our host’s seventeen-year-old daughter who is writing a fantasy series with her mother. How cool is that? When I mentioned that it was great to hear that she was more interested in reading and writing than video games, she told me that her friends also wrote. Given all we hear in the media about distracted kids with their eyes glued to an endless supply of games and movies, this was an eye opener. Another friend has a twenty-two-year-old son in university who’s been writing screenplays and working on movie productions since high school.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Recently, I was at a Christmas craft fair and approached by a woman who’s part of a group who mentors teenage writers. She asked me if I might consider speaking to the group. While packing up at the end of the day, a girl who looked about twelve or thirteen came up to me and said that she was working on two fantasy novels right now. We talked about the importance of reading, and she thought it was cool I was an author. Yeah, it is. Sometimes I forget that. But it’s even cooler to know that the next generation is reading and writing. Not one of those young people mentioned anything about income or making it big financially. At this stage of their lives it was all about learning and the joy of creating something on the page. They deserve all the support and encouragement we can give them.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p><a href="http://www.debrapurdykong.com/">&nbsp;Debra</a></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p><br /></o:p></span></div>http://writetype.blogspot.com/2014/11/encouraging-next-generation-of-writers.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Debra Purdy Kong)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35406795.post-332837483095562061Sun, 09 Nov 2014 16:56:00 +00002014-11-09T09:56:36.840-07:00advancesmidlist authorswriting incomeThe Thorny Issue of Writing Income<div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Money appears to be on the minds of journalists and bloggers these days, more so than usual. I’ve come across at least three articles this week about whether authors can make a living from writing, and if it’s even a viable profession anymore. You don’t have to browse the net for long before you find articles lamenting smaller advances, fewer print sales, and don’t get me started on the Amazon/Hachette battle. On the other side of the coin, numerous blogs boast about the growing number of self-publishers who are making more money than they ever did through traditional publishing, ie. Joe Konrath. Let’s look at some of the opinions.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Baldur Bjarnason on his <a href="http://studiotendra.com/2014/11/03/there-is-no-war-between-amazon-and-traditional-publishing/">studiotenra</a> blog delves into the topic of the so-called war between Amazon and traditional publishers. He raises some interesting points, asking if there really is a war, since neither side is playing hardball. He does say that authors as a whole are being de-professionalized and deskilled. Smaller advances plus fewer sales (assuming he means print sales) make it nearly impossible for writers to earn a living. He ends the piece by saying that authors have ceased to be a necessary part of the publishing industry. Hmm…<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">In the <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/holly-robinson/art-vs-commerce-can-write_b_6088176.html">Huffington Post</a>, Holly Robinson poses the tough question: can writers makes it without day jobs? She takes issue with an article which states that most authors don’t write for money. Robinson points out that there isn’t a lot of money to go around, given that the print resources who once paid journalists and essayists have dried up. She maintains that if writers want to make any money at all, they’d better learn to write for the market, as self-publishers do. She notes that self-publishers are producing much more content than most traditionally published authors, which begs the question, can traditional authors keep up? And if not, how can they possibly make a living? Robinson says that publishers are pressuring their authors to write faster, but she maintains that writing is not manufacturing, it’s art and if you can’t produce three books a year, then you’d better stick to that day job. I know a number of a number of authors who are producing three or four books a year. Based on several indie novels I’ve read in recent weeks, most of these authors are skipping important editorial steps to get their books published.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">In her <a href="http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-debate/the-more-you-write-the-less-you-make/article21422784/">Globe and Mail</a> article, Camillia Gibb notes that the Writers’ Union of Canada estimates that the average income for writers is $12,000. In Britain, writers’ incomes have apparently fallen by 30% in the past eight years. Before then, she says, a writer might receive a $75,000 advance, minus the agent’s 15% commission, and take five years to write a novel. It’s still not a lot of money over a five-year period but Gibb notes that the publisher invested in and nurtured a writer’s career. Not so anymore. For this reason, she maintains that writing is one of the few careers where the more experience and published work you have, the less you’re being compensated these days. She ends her piece with a gloomy forecast that the midlist author (which has been on a slippery downward slope for at least fifteen years, as I recall) will soon be completely extinguished and the bulk of literature, and it’s authors, along with it. I might be overly optimistic, but I don’t think so. I encourage you to read all three of these short, thought-provoking pieces.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><a href="http://www.debrapurdykong.com/">Debra</a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div>http://writetype.blogspot.com/2014/11/the-thorny-issue-of-writing-income.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Debra Purdy Kong)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35406795.post-5715187670323859906Wed, 05 Nov 2014 03:48:00 +00002014-11-04T20:51:55.471-07:00auctionauthorscontestfreedom from tortureian mcewanimmortality auctionken follettmargaret atwoodname a characterthe 6th plagueCheryl Kaye Tardif joins Margaret Atwood, Ian McEwan, Ken Follett & other authors in Freedom from Torture's "Immortality Auction"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QVqfQ9mTpDk/VFmcCAgyMwI/AAAAAAAAEPk/GtTgGGDOo78/s1600/CherylKayeTardif300dpi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QVqfQ9mTpDk/VFmcCAgyMwI/AAAAAAAAEPk/GtTgGGDOo78/s1600/CherylKayeTardif300dpi.jpg" height="320" width="221" /></a></div>Canadian author Cheryl Kaye Tardif has joined a number of well-known authors, including fellow Canadian Margaret Atwood, in an "Immortality Auction" to support Freedom from Torture, an organization dedicated to assisting those affected by torture and other organized abuses. This includes violence by different races or religions that do not acknowledge the basic human rights most of us enjoy.<br /><br /><b>What's an Immortality Auction?</b><br /><br />You can be "immortalized" in one of the participating authors' upcoming books. Each author has donated one or more characters to be named after the highest bidders. Think of it! Your name as one of the characters--and perhaps your wife's, husband's, daughter's etc.<br /><br /><b>Cheryl's auction:</b><br /><br />The highest bidder will name <b><u>2 characters</u></b> in Cheryl's upcoming new thriller, THE 6th PLAGUE, which&nbsp;is set in Banff, Alberta, Canada, during the Banff World Media Festival. THE 6th PLAGUE will be released in the summer/fall of 2015.<br /><br /><b>Why is Cheryl participating?</b><br /><i><br />"As an author who writes suspense, I am often influenced (and horrified) by true stories in the media, and it stuns me that human beings can be so cruel to one another, especially since torture is not only conducted in war zones but in civilized countries. We all bleed the same color; we all live and we all die, and those who have suffered at the hands of others need support and compassion."</i><br /><i><br /></i><b>Bidding is open now!!&nbsp;</b><br /><br />Please dig deep and help support a worthwhile cause and organization.<br /><br /><b><a href="http://www.ibid-fft.com/auction/lot.php?ID=20" target="_blank">Bid on Cheryl's Immortality Auction now!</a></b><br /><br />And please share this post.<br /><br /><br />http://writetype.blogspot.com/2014/11/cheryl-kaye-tardif-joins-margaret.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Cheryl Tardif)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35406795.post-2023714682568881773Sun, 02 Nov 2014 17:53:00 +00002014-11-02T10:53:13.334-07:00Keeping Up With Social Media<div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Given that I’m between day job assignments for the moment, I’ve had time to take a closer look at my social media connections. I think it’s a good idea to revisit the whole networking thing at least once a year, if not more often. What worked six months ago might not be so effective now and, lord knows, knew opportunities spring up all the time.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">When I returned to work last year, I stopped contributing on some network sites. Twitter was the only place I visited daily. Facebook visits happened two or three times a week. I also posted reviews on Goodreads but rarely took part in the groups I belong to. I’ve managed to post something on Kindleboards at least once a week but had little time to scroll through the many topics posted in the Writers Café.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">I still like Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads, and Kindleboards. I’ve also recently picked up some tips on how to use FB and Twitter more effectively, which I’ll do soon. After six years, I let go of my AuthorsDen connection, as I no longer wanted to pay an annual subscription when I could post work or promote elsewhere for free. I left MySpace a year ago but I still belong to Pinterest and LinkedIn. Although LinkedIn has its uses, it’s also annoying. I had quit all the groups because I was being spammed, far too often, by authors who wanted me to buy and review their books. A couple of days ago, I joined a new group for writers there, so we’ll see how it goes.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Now I’m looking for new opportunities that are easy to navigate, friendly, and useful for both receiving and sharing information about writing, publishing, and the book biz in general. I’m also looking for great sites that help writers connect with readers. I’ve had a couple of interesting suggestions which I’m eager to try, but if you have a great site you’d like to share, please let me know!<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><a href="http://www.debrapurdykong.com/">Debra</a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>http://writetype.blogspot.com/2014/11/keeping-up-with-social-media.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Debra Purdy Kong)0